Drug-related crime in Hercules on the increase
Drugs in Hercules has risen to three times more in the past 10 years.
Hercules police and the local policing forum are concerned about the continued increase in drug-related crimes in the area.
“People do not realise how huge the drug problem in our area is. Users range from young children to older people,” Hercules Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairman, Conrad Naudé said.
He said the drug escalation was a concern and they have had a lot of cases during the month of May alone for drug-related problems. Drug-related cases at Hercules police station have risen by 356. 52% over the past 10 years, according to national police statistics.
For years the drug problem has been escalating, with crystal meth, dagga, nyaope and heroin being the main culprits. “We work with the police and Tshwane metro police special task team to fight drug-related issues. The problem is, drug dealers become so arrogant and tell you they will be out of jail the next day when they are arrested,” Naudé said.
The other problem he identified was that some parents defended their children when it came to drugs. He said only when the drugs start affecting them, they start reporting their children. “Parents are too proud to report the children because they are afraid the children will go to jail. People end up stealing to maintain their drug habit,” Naudé said.
Naudé added that this has resulted in the escalation of theft, house burglaries, domestic violence, possession of stolen goods and other crimes in the area. He mentioned that most people addicted to drugs were between 20 and 35 years old and even school children in the area were using drugs and some have been arrested.
In their fight against the drug epidemic the CPF, police and metro police special team respond to all information received from the public. “We try our best to fight this by hosting drug awareness campaigns. We also encourage the public to provide us with information.”
Naudé said the hotspots were the Hendrik Street bridge, Gomorrah and Bremer Street informal settlements, gambling places in the area and train stations.
“The Mountain View train station is one of our major hotspots, apart from the Hendrik Street bridge. People drive there, signal the dealers who then sell them something,” said Naudé.
Last week Wednesday at Laerskool Hermanstad, the Hercules CPF hosted a community awareness and information workshop where residents were told about the different drugs and what to look our for.
Hercules police spokesperson, Captain Bonginkosi Msimango confirmed that they had a drug problem in the area. “There are lots of drugs in the area. This reflects by the number of arrests we make.”
He said dealers were mostly from the community and some were repeat-offenders. “A few drug dealers come from outside our area to sell their goods,” Msimango said.
The police and CPF have pleaded with the community to work with them in the fight against drugs in the area.
Also read:
Crime on the increase in Hercules areas
Several alleged drug dealers arrested in Hercules
Hercules Clinic says allegations are untrue
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